Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 2093

Kikagaku Moyo - 'House In The Tall Grass' (Guruguru Brain Records)

Out Now: Kikagaku Moyo - House In The Tall Grass

Available for Purchase via Guruguru Brain Records Photo Cred: Kentaro
Following their split 7" with Moon Duo late last year, Tokyo's Kikagaku Moyo have released their new album  House In The Tall Grass  today on Guruguru Brain. The album is currently streaming on Stereogum and is available for purchase here. The band has announced new EU tour dates through early July, including a stop at Paris Fashion Week.
 ALBUM STREAM: Kikagaku Moyo - House In The Tall Grass
" A ’60s psych throwback, this album utilizes a poignant balance of folk, pop, and jam-band influences, adapting them to fit within the context of modern music" -Stereogum

LISTEN & SHARE: Kikagaku Moyo - "Green Sugar"
"Soft bells and sitar notes lead the listener through a calming field of echoing guitars and billowing bass. While the nearly eight-minute voyage is a peaceful, refreshing one, it’s all a lead-up to the surprisingly spry final moments, where Pink Floyd-ian drama breaks into an electrifying, squiggling guitar solo." - Consequence of SoundLISTEN & SHARE: Kikagaku Moyo -  "Melted Crystal"
“'Melted Crystal' is music that requests—and rewards—your quiet contemplation." - FLOOD
 LISTEN & SHARE: Kikagaku Moyo - "Silver Owl"
"The sighing vocals allow each word to tumble over the next, while the nimble sitar-sounds in the background lend a lysergic air." - CLASH
 LISTEN & SHARE: Kikagaku Moyo - "Kogarashi"
"the first single is the pastoral and quite lovely “Kogarashi”" - Brooklyn VeganUpcoming EU Dates
20.05 - Kantine Berghain - Berlin, DE
21.05 - Pop Revo - Aarhus, DK
23.05 - Occii- Amsterdam, NL
24.05 - Magasin 4 - Brussels, BE
25.05 - The Cube - Bristol, UK
26.05 - London Fields Brewery - London
27.05 - The Star and Garter - Manchester
28.05 - Nice n Sleazy - Glasgow, UK
29.05 - Karma Fest - Leeds, UK
30.05 - Bleach - Brighton, UK
31.05 - Roodkapje - Rotterdam, NL
01.06 - Hafenklang - Hamburg, DE
02.06 - Plan B - Malmo, SE
03.06 - Kulturforening- Tivedstorp, SE
04.06 - High Times - Gothenburg, SE
05.06 - Muskelrock 2016 - Alvesta, SE
09.06 - Klub 007 - Prague, CZ
10.06 - Hightimes Hasenheide - Innsbruck
11.06 - Sudpol - Lucerne, CH
12.06 - Mountain Session - Bolzano, IT
13.06 - Sotto La Sacrestia - Milano, IT
14.06 - The Black Sheep - Montpellier, FR
15.06 - Asociacion Freedonia - Barcelona
16.06 - Las Armas - Zaragoza, ES
17.06 - Cafe Del Teatre - Lleida, ES
18.06 - El Sol - Madrid, ES
19.06 - ZDB - Lisbon, PT
20.06 - Lata De Zinc - Oviedo, ES
21.06 - Kafe Antzokia - Bilbao, ES
23.06 - Fashion Week - Paris, FR
25.06 - Blah Blah - Torino, IT
26.06 - Wunderbar - Verona, IT
28.06 - Klub Mocvara - Zagreb, HR
29.06 - Arena Wien - Vienna, AT
01.07 - Ilses Erika - Leipzig, DE
02.07 - Fusion Festiva - Larz, DETracklisting
01. Green Sugar
02. Kogarashi
03. Old Snow, White Sun
04. Melted Crystal
05. Dune
06. Silver Owl
07. Fata Morgana
08. Trad
09. Cardigan Song

Album Credits
Track A1, A3, B1, B2, B3 written by Go
Track A2 written by Tomo
Track A4 written by Kotsu Guy
Track A5, B4 written by Go & Tomo
All songs arranged by Kikagaku Moyo
 
 Kikagaku Moyo are:Vocal/Guitar: Tomo Katsurada
Guitar: Daoud Popal
Sitar: Ryu Kurosawa
Bass: Kotsuguy
Drum/Vocal: Go Kurosawa

Destination Moon Music & Arts Festival Set To Take Place From 6/17 - 6/19

100% Solar PoweredDestination Moon Music & Arts FestivalSet To Take Place From June 17th - June 19th


**Early Bird Tickets Now On Sale Until May 17th**  Featured on Vice's MOTHERBOARD, here: http://bit.ly/1qgtA5i Featured on Brooklyn Vegan, here: http://bit.ly/1qgtHh8 New York, NY - May 13, 2016 - Destination Moon is proud to announce their fully solar powered multi-day Destination Moon Music & Arts Festival, being held at Camp Lakota in Wurtsboro, NY from Friday, June 17th to Sunday June 19th. Early Bird tickets ($80) for the festival are currently on sale to the public until May 17th. The festival will feature performances by Antibalas, Porches, Moon Hooch, Delicate Steve, Buke and Gase, EMEFE, Quincy Vidal, LIP TALK, Mrs Adam Schatz, Pavo Pavo, Sam Evian, TIGUE, New Myths, Tippwerk, and You Bred Raptors?. For more information, please visit: http://destinationmoon.us/. With excitement towards the upcoming festival, Destination Moon Co-Founder Jonah Trager explains, "After years of producing underground parties throughout NYC, we are incredibly excited to bring Destination Moon to a large-scale multi day arena. This festival will rock your pants off while demonstrating the powers of solar energy. With the best live acts in NY on a fully solar stage, immersive large scale art, swimming and camping all in a beautiful sprawling setting you cant go wrong. Destination Moon proves you can party hard with minimal effect on your environment." Destination Moon Music & Arts Festival is offering full weekend passes with camping included, along with parking passes ($20) or round trip shuttle service ($15) from Brooklyn, NY. Alternatively, attendees can purchase and reserve an individual bunk bed ($20) in a shared cabin, 8-person cabins ($125) or 10-person cabins ($150) for lodging through the weekend. Trough Catering will provide healthy, hearty and exciting meals, with options available for all kinds of dietary restrictions, at low cost for festivalgoers. There will also be snacks available at the canteen for late-night bites. In addition to live performances throughout the weekend, attendees will experience immersive art installations all around the campgrounds that amplify Destination Moon's focus on sustainability. Curator of Art Installations Jonah Levy explains, "There are so many festival-goers out there who want to see how an alternative energy powered festival with Brooklyn-based arts and live music works. And there's definitely gonna be a WOW factor. From earthen sculptures that transform to reveal new elements throughout the day, to motion-sensored installations that pop out of the ground to an indie video arcade in the middle of a forest, I'm positive that people will be looking at the festival experience in a different light after Destination Moon 2016." The festival will feature visual projections by Steve Pavlovsky of Liquid Light Labs and Jesse Mannart, along with art installations fromBabycastles, Bart Woodstrup, Berk Sonmez, Chaney Lane Trotter, Emmaline Payette and Paulapart, Jake Nelson, Jonathan Sims, Kate Sclavi and Laura Clark, Mark Andreas, Peter Coffin, Sam Bogner, Sam Horowitz, Uttam Grandhi, Valeria Rybykova, Weintraub Diaz Landscape Architects, and more! To ensure the smallest ecological footprint possible, Destination Moon Music and Arts Festival has teamed up with Zero to Go, an education-based waste management company focused on composting and recycling. To learn more about Zero to Go, please visit:http://www.zerotogo.org/.

Nicole Atkins Announces 2016 Summer Tour Dates

Nicole Atkins AnnouncesSummer Tour Dates 
Country Soul Crooner to Preview Songs from Upcoming New Album
Internationally acclaimed artist Nicole Atkins has brought timeless songwriting chops and raw, unbridled emotion to fans and listeners since the 2007 release of her debut Neptune City. Praised by Rolling Stone as a “voice full of longing and Loretta Lynn elegance,” it should come as no surprise that Atkins would one day find her way to Nashville, the city she now calls home.
 Having toured the world and shared stages with The Black keys, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Primal Scream, the Avett Brothers and many more, the singer-songwriter is excited to announce a spate of summer tour dates that will preview some of her new, Nashville-influenced songs.
Catch Nicole Atkins On Tour
May 21: Provincetown, MA @ the Hawthorn Barn
June 8: Mill Valley, CA @ Sweetwater Music Hall
June 11: Sonoma, CA 2 Huichica Music Festival
June 14: Atlanta, GA @ Smith’s Olde Bar
June 15: Nashville, TN @ The Basement
June 16: Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
July 9: Sellersville, PA @ Sellersville Theatre
July 10: Maplewood, NJ @ Maplewoodstock

Moderat Shares Shed Remix of "Running," US Tour Next Week

MODERAT
(MODESELEKTOR + APPARAT)
ANNOUNCE “RUNNING”
NEW SINGLE OFF III

LISTEN TO SHED REMIX

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR STARTS NEXT WEEK “a natural, flowing, almost effortless result of the team member's various strengths, fusing Modeselektor's crunchy, giddy, punch-drunk percussion to Apparat's diaphanous ethereality to form a kind of grand dreamtime pop that's both intimately down-to-earth and grandly otherworldly” — XLR8R

“Tracky beats share space with gasping live horns, while techno-based songs like ‘Running’ and ‘Finder’ sit comfortably next to more melody-focused cuts like "Eating Hooks" and "The Fool" that wouldn't sound out of place on American pop radio.” — Thump
 Moderat, the alliance of Berlin’s electronic heavy weights, Modeselektor and Apparat, released  III , the final album of their trilogy, last month via Mute/Monkeytown. After performing to thousands each night over the past month throughout Europe, Moderat embark on their North American tour next week, joined by Pfadfinderei, who will take the reins on visual direction. With this tour finally upon us, the band announces III’s second single, “Running,” and shares the  Shed Remix .

Moderat’s “Running” blends the isolated voice of melancholy with the collective excitement of a night at a summer festival. The song’s sonic palette spans intricate percussions, cascading, yet overtly recognizable synths, a driving kick drum and a wealth of feel-good vibes. This is music for the main stage: a highly emotive kind of pop, built for dancing, but never simple. As described by Sascha Ring (aka Apparat), “‘Running’ is about being part of a mass. A mass that constantly needs to move to function, but one that’s not deciding directions by itself.”

Mute/Monkeytown will release “Running,” featuring the exclusive b-side, “90% Wasser,” on May 20th. The digital bundle includes remixes by Shed and KiNK. Shed’s stomping techno embeds Moderat’s synthline in a stoic beat that won’t compromise its deadly simplicity. “Running” 10”, available July 1, will feature both remixes, and “Running” 12”, available July 15, will feature the original track and exclusive b-side.
Listen To “Running (Shed Remix)”

“Reminder” Video
 Moderat Tour Dates (tix on sale via www.moderat.fm.):

Thu. May 19 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall – SOLD OUT
Fri. May 20 - Montreal, QC @ Metropolis – SOLD OUT
Sat. May 21 - Chicago, IL @ Concord Music Hall
Mon. May 23 - Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre
Tue. May 24 - Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
Thu. May 26 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre – SOLD OUT
Fri. May 27 - San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
Sat. May 28 - Bradley, CA @ Lightning in a Bottle Festival
Sat. June 4 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound Festival
Sun. June 5 – Berlin, DE @ Velodrom – SOLD OUT
Mon. June 6 - Berlin, DE @ Velodrom
Sat. June 11 – Torino, IT @ Reggia Di Venaria
Wed. June 15 – Vienna, AT @ Arena Wien Open Air
Thu. June 16 – Prague, CZ @ Lucerna – Velky sál – SOLD OUT
Sat. July 2 – Montreux, CH @ Montreux Jazz Festival
Sat. August 13 - Bochum, DE @ Jahrhunderthalle Ritournelle
Wed. Sep. 28 – Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall
Thu. Sep. 29 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy
Fri. Sep. 30 – Brussels, BE @ Forest National
Sat. Oct. 1 – Amsterdam, NL @ Heineken Music HallPre-order “Running”:
DIGI  |  VINYL

LISTEN TO EXCERPT OF 'WHEN WILL I RETURN?' from SWANS "THE GLOWING MAN"

SWANSLISTEN TO AN EXCERPT OF'WHEN WILL I RETURN?' HERE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvcV75wxbTsTHE GLOWING MAN - NEW ALBUMOUT 17 JUNE 2016SWANS 2016 TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

"Devastatingly intense..." UNCUT - June 2016

Swans have shared an excerpt of 'When Will I Return?', taken from the forthcoming album, The Glowing Man, out on Mute / Young God (N America) on 17 June 2016.'When Will I Return?' was written, explains Michael Gira, "... specifically for Jennifer Gira to sing. It's a tribute to her strength, courage, and resilience."

The Glowing Man will be available on double CD and deluxe triple gatefold vinyl, with a poster and digital download. In addition, there will be a double CD/DVD format, which features a Swans live performance from 2015.

The Glowing Man, announced as the last album release of Swans' current incarnation, will be followed by an extensive tour. The tour will unfold with dates beginning in North America in the summer, before returning to Europe in the autumn. Announced tour dates below include UK dates in October that see the band play two shows at London's Islington Assembly Hall.Swans, led by Michael Gira, formed in 1982 and, after disbanding in 1997, returned with the critically acclaimed albums My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky (2010), 2012's The Seer and 2014's To Be Kind.

Listen to an excerpt of The Glowing Man, taken from the album, here:https://youtu.be/Ka_hKb7dSiY

A NOTE FROM MICHAEL GIRA OF SWANS:"In 2009 when I made the decision to restart my musical group, Swans, I had no idea where it would lead. I knew that if I took the road of mining the past or revisiting the catalog, that it would be fruitless and stultifying. After much thought about how to make this an adventure that would instead lead the music forward into unexpected terrain, I chose the five people with whom to work that I believed would most ably provide a sense of surprise, and even uncertainty, while simultaneously embodying the strength and confidence to ride the river of intention that flows from the heart of the sound wherever it would lead us - and what's the intention? LOVE!And so finally this LOVE has now led us, with the release of the new and final recording from this configuration of Swans, The Glowing Man, through four albums (three of which contain more complexity, nuance and scope than I would have ever dreamed possible), several live releases, various fundraiser projects, countless and seemingly endless tours and rehearsals, and a generally exhausting regimen that has left us stunned but still invigorated and thrilled to see this thing through to its conclusion. I hereby thank my brothers and collaborators for their commitment to whatever truth lies at the center of the sound. I'm decidedly not a Deist, but on a few occasions - particularly in live performance - it's been my privilege, through our collective efforts, to just barely grasp something of the infinite in the sound and experience generated by a force that is definitely greater than all of us combined. When talking with audience members after the shows or through later correspondence, it's also been a true privilege to discover they've experienced something like this too. Whatever the force is that has led us through this extended excursion, it's been worthwhile for many of us, and I'm grateful for what has been the most consistently challenging and fulfilling period of my musical life.Going forward, post the touring associated with The Glowing Man, I'll continue to make music under the name Swans, with a revolving cast of collaborators. I have little idea what shape the sound will take, which is a good thing. Touring will definitely be less extensive, I'm certain of that! Whatever the future holds, I'll miss this particular locus of human and musical potential immensely: Norman Westberg, Kristof Hahn, Phil Puleo, Christopher Pravdica, Thor Harris, and myself mixed in there somewhere, too."

.............THE GLOWING MAN TRACKLISTING1. Cloud of Forgetting2. Cloud of Unknowing3. The World Looks Red / The World Looks Black4. People Like Us5. Frankie M.6. When Will I Return?7. The Glowing Man8. Finally, Peace.

"I wrote the song 'When Will I Return? specifically for Jennifer Gira to sing. It's a tribute to her strength, courage, and resilience in the face of a deeply scarring experience she once endured, and that she continues to overcome daily.

The song 'The World Looks Red / The World Looks Black' uses some words I wrote in 1982 or so that Sonic Youth used for their song 'The World Looks Red', back in the day. The music and melody used here in the current version are completely different. While working up material for this new album, I had a basic acoustic guitar version of the song and was stumped for words. For reasons unknown to me, the lyric I'd so long ago left in my typewriter in plain view at my living and rehearsal space (the latter of which Sonic Youth shared at the time) and which Thurston plucked for use with my happy permission, popped into my head and I thought "Why not?" The person that wrote those words well over three decades ago bears little resemblance to who I am now, but I believe it remains a useful text, so "Why not?". Maybe, in a way, it closes the circle.

The song 'The Glowing Man' contains a section of the song 'Bring The Sun' from our previous album, To Be Kind. The section is, of course, newly performed and orchestrated to work within its current setting. 'The Glowing Man' itself grew organically forward and out of improvisations that took place live during the performance of 'Bring The Sun', so it seemed essential to include that relevant section here. Since over the long and tortured course of the current song's genesis, it had always been such an integral cornerstone I believe we'd have been paralyzed and unable to perform the entire piece at all without it.

'Cloud of Forgetting' and 'Cloud of Unknowing' are prayers. 'Frankie M' is another tribute and a best wish for a wounded soul. 'The Glowing Man' contains my favorite Zen Koan. 'People Like Us' and 'Finally, Peace' are farewell songs."-        Michael Gira  2016 

The Glowing Man was recorded at Sonic Ranch, near El Paso, Texas, with John Congleton as recording engineer. Further recording was made at John's Elmwood Studio, in Dallas, Texas, and at Studio Litho (Seattle, WA) with Don Gunn, engineer, and at CandyBomber (Berlin) with Ingo Krauss, engineer. The record was mixed by Ingo at CandyBomber and by Doug Henderson at Micro-Moose, Berlin. Doug Henderson mastered it at Micro-Moose.

Here's a list of the principal players on the record (complete credits and words to the songs available on request):Swans: Michael Gira - vocals, electric and acoustic guitar; Norman Westberg - electric guitar, vocals; Kristof Hahn - lap steel guitar, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals; Phil Puleo - drums, dulcimer, knocks, vocals; Christopher Pravdica - bass guitar, vocals; Thor Harris - percussion, vibes, bells, dulcimer. Hit Man and 7th Swan: Bill Rieflin - drums, piano, synth, Mellotron, bass guitar, electric guitar, vocals.

Guest Musicians: Jennifer Gira sings the lead vocal on 'When Will I Return?' The cello solo on 'Cloud of Unknowing' was graciously provided by the ferocious improviser, Okkyung Lee..............SWANS TOUR 2016North America6 July - Philadelphia PA, Union Transfer7 July - Boston MA, Royale Nightclub8 July - Providence RI, Fete9 July - Quebec QC, Le Cercle10 July - Toronto ON, Danforth Music Hall12 July - Detroit MI, St Andrews Hall13 July - Milwaukee WI, Shank Hall14 July - Minneapolis MN, Fine Line Music Cafe15 July - Chicago IL, Lincoln Hall16 July - Chicago IL, Lincoln Hall18 July - Cleveland OH, Beachland Ballroom19 July - Cincinnati OH, Woodward Theater21 July - Louisville KY, Headliner's Music Hall22 July - Atlanta GA, Terminal West23 July - Asheville NC, Orange Peel 24 July - Nashville TN, Exit / In26 July - Carrboro NC, Cats Cradle27 July - Richmond VA The Broadberry28 July - Washington DC, 9:30 CLUB29 July - New York NY, Bowery Ballroom30 July - Brooklyn NY, Music Hall of Williamsburg *with support from Okkyung Lee1 Sept - Tucson AZ, Rialto Theater2 Sept - Los Angeles CA, Fonda Theater3 Sept - San Francisco CA, The Regency Grand Ballroom4 Sept - Portland OR, Wonder Ballroom6 Sept - Vancouver BC, Venue7 Sept - Seattle WA, The Showbox9 Sept - Salt Lake City UT, Urban Lounge10 Sept - Denver CO, Gothic Theater12 Sept - Dallas TX, Trees13 Sept - Austin TX, Mohawk Austin14 Sept - San Antonio TX, Paper Tiger15 Sept - Albuquerque NM, Sunshine Theater16 Sept - Phoenix AZ, Crescent Ballroom*with support from Baby Dee
Europe6 Oct - Brussels BE, Oranjerie Botantique7 Oct - Eindhoven NL, De Effenaar8 Oct - Brighton UK, Concorde 2 9 Oct - Manchester UK, 02 Ritz11 Oct - Glasgow UK, Oran Mor 12 Oct - Newcastle Upon Tyne UK, Northumbria University13 Oct - London UK, Islington Assembly Hall14 Oct - London UK, Islington Assembly Hall15 Oct - Reims FR, La Cartonnerie17 Oct - Hamburg DE, Kampnagel18 Oct - Berlin DE, Huxleys Neue Welt19 Oct - Prague CZ, Divaldo ARCHA Theatre21 Oct - Budapest HU, A38 Ship22 Oct - Vienna AT, Arena Big Hall23 Oct - Graz AT, Orpheum Extra25 Oct - Ljubljana SL, Kino Kiska Centre for Urban Culture26 Oct - Zagreb HR, Lauba 28 Oct - Basel CH, Kaserne29 Oct - Vevey CH, Rocking Chair30 Oct - Bern CH, Reitschule Dachstock1 Nov - Nantes FR, Stereolux2 Nov - Nimes FR, La Paloma 5 Nov - Bologna IT, Teatro Auditorium Manzoni6 Nov - Rome IT, Orion Live Club8 Nov - Tourcoin FR, Le Grand Mix9 Nov - Paris FR, Le Trabendo10 Nov - Cologne DE, Gebäude 911 Nov - Munich DE, Feierwerk12 Nov - Wiesbaden DE, Kulturezentrum Schlachthofhttps://www.facebook.com/SwansOfficial/

THE ORIGINAL MISFITS REUNITE - First Shows Since 1983

THE ORIGINAL MISFITS REUNITE Original Members  - Glenn Danzig and Jerry OnlyWith long-time guitarist Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein
Set to Share Stage For the First Time Since 1983 as the Original MisfitsHeadline Riot Fest in Denver and Chicago


And they said it would never happen. Never!!
However, this September, Original Singer/Songwriter Glenn Danzig, Original Bassist Jerry Only and long-time Guitarist Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein – for the “First Time in Over 30-Years” – will be stepping onto stage together as “The Original MISFITS” to headlineRiot Fest & Rodeo in Denver, CO (September 2-4, 2016) and Riot Fest & Carnival in Chicago, IL (September 16-18, 2016).
From the time of their first gig in 1977, the MISFITS and their iconic imagery went on to become one of the most crucially influential, genre-defying bands to ever emerge from North America, the MISFITSsignificance extends well beyond the narrowed path of punk rock & hardcore.  Although not cognizant of how significant they would become, what the MISFITS achieved in their initial six-year window deconstructed and redefined rock music.
All the while, the MISFITS with Danzig’s unmistakable voice, Only’s ferocious bass sound and the bands anthemic songs, melody-induced choruses and authentically bruising musicianship, cemented their importance with all ensuing generations, whether in arena-filled metal shows or in a sweaty 400-cap club in Tucson.  And for the ‘First Time in over Three Decades,’ legions of diehard fans from around the world will have the opportunity to hear the Original Band that created thousands of bands in their wake.Full line-up announcements for Riot Fest 2016 will be happening shortly.
Riot Fest Three-Day Passes are now on sale and available on www.riotfest.org or www.ticketfly.com.

Kino Kimino Signs With Wavves’ Ghost Ramp, LP ft. Members of Sonic Youth, Drops "Rosy Rudiger" Today!

Kino Kimino
 
Signs With Wavves’ Label Ghost Ramp For Debut Album 
Bait Is for Sissies  ft. Members of Sonic Youth, Out 6/3

New Single “Rosy Rudiger” Drops w/ Stereogum Today!

International Spring Tour
 
Photo Credit: Kenneth Bachor
 
With accolades from Pitchfork to FADER, Kino Kimino is the brainchild of Kim Talon, who plugged in with Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth to throw down the ten sweetly serrated, sometimes volatile, post-punk songs on debut album  Bait Is for Sissies . The band is thrilled to announce that they have signed with Wavves’ label Ghost Ramp to release the album in North America. In celebration, they have shared new album single  “Rosy Rudiger”  which premiered with  Stereogum  today and it’s available to post/share  HERE .

Kino Kimino kicked off an international tour to a packed crowd in NYC and fans will have their first chance to see the band live as they hit Chicago, Cincinnati and more, bringing it back to NYC on July 3. Full list of dates  HERE .

With John Agnello (Kurt Vile, Dinosaur Jr., Hop Along) at the helm of production, Bait Is for Sissies was recorded at Sonic Youth’s Echo Canyon West studio. The songs explore betrayal, violence and the feeling of being an outsider, a dramatized response to the end of a romantic relationship that was founded on deceit. Talon has toured with pop maven Sia and played with Deerhoof and Blake Schwarzenbach of ’90s emo standouts Jawbreaker. Be sure to catch their captivating performance in a city near you!
 
Kino Kimino Tour Dates

5/29: Inverness, Scotland @ Mad Hatters
5/30: Edinburgh, Scotland @ Sneaky Pete's
6/1: London, UK @ The Workshop
6/2: Camden, UK @ Dublin Castle
6/3: Wigan, UK @ The Old Courts
6/4: Bristol, UK @ The Cube
6/23: Pittsburgh, PA @ Spirit Lodge
6/25: Cincinnati, OH @ The Comet
6/26: Lexington, KY @ The Best Friend
6/27: Indianapolis, IN @ Melody Inn
6/28: Chicago, IL @ Live Wire
6/29: Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon
6/30: Fort Wayne, IN @ The Tiger Room
7/1: Columbus, OH @ Spacebar
7/2: Harrisburg, PA @ HBG Makespace
7/3: Brooklyn, NY @ Shea Stadium
  

Band of Skulls debut "So Good" video - new album out May 27!

BAND OF SKULLS DEBUT “SO GOOD” VIDEO
NEW ALBUM BY DEFAULT SET FOR
RELEASE MAY 27 ON BMG 
[image error]  
“SUPREMELY HEAVY”
—ROLLING STONE  “COOL ENOUGH FOR
HIPSTERS, HEAVY ENOUGH
 FOR METAL HEADS, SMART ENOUGH FOR MUSO SNOBS,
BAND OF SKULLS SUCCEED
 IN STRIKING THAT OFT-ELUSIVE AURAL SWEET SPOT
FOR FANS OF ALL STRIPES.”
—VILLAGE VOICE 
 The video for “So Good,” the latest track to be revealed off Band of Skulls’ upcoming new album  By Default , is streaming now. Watch here:http://smarturl.it/BoSSoGoodVideo. The song sees bassist and vocalist Emma Richardson take lead vocal and further displays the band’s foray into new territory following the recent premiere of “Killer.” The band summarizes the Jack Lightfootdirected video as “birds of prey on the prowl, neon roller electric boogaloo, a pulse and cherry red whirl or two, it’s So Good for you!” By Default will be released May 27 onBMG, the band’s debut with the label.
The new album is receiving early critical buzz both stateside and abroad—Consequence of Sound admires the music’s “surge of sawtoothed guitars,” while Clash hails it as “a crisp return.”
Produced by Gil Norton (Pixies, Foo Fighters, Patti Smith) and recorded at Rockfield Studios, By Default finds the English trio—Richardson, Russell Marsden (guitar, vocals) and Matt Hayward (drums)—following up on their acclaimed 2014 release,Himalayan, by making a conscious decision to take a step back from their relentless world-wide touring schedule, having never spent more than a month off the road in the last two years.
“We went back to square one,” says Hayward. In the church—between visits from the vicar, bringing tea and biscuits on his trolley—they found the new songs in hours of woodshedding on ratty old practice amps. “It’s definitely a new era,” says Marsden. “The first three records were like a trilogy, a piece of work in of themselves. We wanted to do those things, and we did them all. We took a breath, took a look at what we’d done, and started from scratch again.” [image error]Photo credit: Andy Cotterill  BY DEFAULT  TRACKLIST1. Black Magic2. Back of Beyond3. Killer4. Bodies5. Tropical Disease6. So Good7. This Is My Fix8. Little Mamma9. Embers10. In Love By Default11. Erounds12. Something
iTunes pre-order: http://smarturl.it/ByDefaultITCD pre-order: http://smarturl.it/ByDefaultCDVinyl pre-order: http://smarturl.it/ByDefaultLP

Xiu Xiu Covers John Congleton and the Nighty Nite

Xiu Xiu Release Cover Of
John Congleton’s “Just Lay Still” on SPIN
From Latest Record, 
Until The Horror Goes
 
“Art that doesn’t challenge [me] is not interesting to me. I’m intoxicated by stuff that I don’t understand, ‘cause at the end of the day I—if I get something out of that, I’m a better producer, I’m a better listener, I’m a better everything.” –John Congleton

Experimental darlings Xiu Xiu have just released a cover of acclaimed producer/artistJohn Congleton’s “Just Lay Still,” one of the more bizarre tracks off John Congleton and the Nighty Nite’s Until The Horror Goes. 

Xiu Xiu and John Congleton share a similar desire for musical exploration and experimentation. Xiu Xiu just released Plays The Music Of Twin Peaks, a musical tribute to one of the 1990’s most beloved (and bizarre) television shows—but their latest effort is a tribute to artist John Congleton.

Until the Horror Goes, Grammy award-winning producer (Swans, St. Vincent, David Byrne, Explosions In the Sky, etc.) John Congleton’s debut full-length album as John Congleton and the Nighty Nite, is a howling, sardonic document of existential angst.  Released April 1 on Fat Possum Records, Until the Horror Goes rows firmly against the placating currents of popular music. Crafting a genre of his own, Congleton creates a kind of horror-gospel mixing unflinching examinations of modern life with humor, high art with low culture.  Pop melodies given voice by massive and unexpected orchestration live within wild sounds and atonality.

Xiu Xiu’s version of “Just Lay Still” takes this twisting, electronic “horror gospel,” which its nightmarish lyrics, and translates it from a dark, pounding track to a slower, whispered, plaintive cry over a haunting backing track. This haunting collaboration between two of the current music world’s most experimental, “out there” artists is something not to be missed—just maybe don’t listen to it right before bedtime.

Listen to Xiu Xiu’s cover here, and be sure to check out the original track here.

METRONOMY Announce Album SUMMER 08 Out July 1 + Watch Video For 'Old Skool'

 METRONOMY RELEASE NEW ALBUM SUMMER 08OUT JULY 1ST ON BECAUSE MUSIC
First Single 'Old Skool' is Available Now -  Watch Video HERE  Metronomy scored their first Top 10 UK album in 2014 with the critically-acclaimed Love Letters.  Entirely written, played and produced by Joe Mount, Metronomy will release new album  Summer 08  on July 1st on Because Music.
The album's first single 'Old Skool' is a cowbell-clattered cocaine pop belter that glimpses '00s London from the backseat of an Addison Lee. It descends into a chaotic scratch frenzy courtesy of Beastie Boys' turntablist and Mount's childhood hero Mix Master Mike. The accompanying video directed by Dawn Shadforth features  Catastrophe 'sSharon Horgan and Game of Thrones' Ben Crompton in an explosion of '70s aesthetic hedonism inspired in part by Mike Leigh's 'Abigail's Party'. 
Watch the music video for 'Old Skool'  HERE Summer 08  finds the multi-instrumentalist reflecting on his experiences around the time that Metronomy first landed a major breakthrough with the  Nights Out  album - the guilt at spending key moments in loved ones' lives in the back of a tour bus, and the confused mania of finding himself a critical darling.
It's a concept that's been gestating ever since, but the opportunities and challenges that resulted in the expansive, ambitious and Mercury Prize-nominated  The English Riviera  and the Motown-inspired  Love Letters  understandably took precedence.
"I had those other albums - and how I wanted to record in bigger studios - out of my system," he explains. "I wanted to make another record with the naivety of 'Nights Out': ten tracks, straight up, upbeat. Write another banger, then another, and don't really think about it."
Mount's aim for  Summer 08  was to make a mature, eclectic pop record in the vein of classic works by OutKast, David Bowie and Daft Punk. Recorded inBlack Box Studios in France with mixing courtesy of Bob Clearmountain (Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie) and Neal Pogue (OutKast), it's the most daring and creative Metronomy album for a good reason - they won't be touring it any time soon."I want to have a break from touring but I don't want a break from putting out music,"says Mount, noting that he wants to prioritise time with his two young children.
As for the lyrics? "I was living in East London in 2008 and felt like all this stuff was happening in the West end. It's nonsense really, but I felt it was this privileged end of town, all the musicians there had wealthy parents and were living in Ladbroke Grove and Notting Hill. So that song's about being totally idiotic and just jealous."
'Night Owl' is even more immediate as its disco-groove - at once laidback, then nervously on edge - captures the ambience of a downbeat soul lost in the nocturnal summer swelter of the capital. Elsewhere, there's warbling festival anthem-in-the-making'Miami Logic', which sounds like 'Word Up' as performed by Devo; an earlyEast Coast hip-hop rough ride called '16 Beat' about a love affair between man and drum machine; and a brilliant moment of Bowie worship titled 'Mick Slow'.
It's the album's duet with Swedish superstar Robyn, 'Hang Me Out To Dry', mixed byErol Alkan, that's the songwriter's favorite though. An early draft of the track was recorded for  The English Riviera  but it has only now realised its full potential.
Summer 08  will be released on digital, CD and vinyl (with CD included) formats as well as a Deluxe vinyl / CD boxset. 
Summer 08 tracklisting:
1. Back Together2. Miami Logic3. Old Skool (with Mixmaster Mike)4. 16 Beat5. Hang Me Out To Dry (with Robyn)6. Mick Slow7. My House8. Night Owl9. Love's Not an Obstacle10. Summer Jamhttp://metronomy.co.uk http://facebook.com/metronomy http://youtube.com/user/metronomyofficialhttps://twitter.com/metronomyhttps://instagram.com/metronomyhttps://soundcloud.com/metronomy